A Nine Day Photographic Discovery of the Quintessential Cape Views, Vista's and Vibrancy

Discover and photograph the quintessential Cape landscapes at their defining moments as you discover the Cape and unlock both your technical photographic skills and unique eye and sense of aesthetic. This Cape Photo Tour takes us from Cape Town east to the Garden Route, then north into the semi desert and big open spaces of the Karoo before heading west again, toward the Atlantic Ocean, through Wine Country and toward our final destination of Paternoster on the South African West Coast.

The route we take on this tour has been chosen not only because it offers incredible photographic opportunities, but also because these are some of my favorite towns, all small but crammed full of character, fantastic food, shops, vibe and friendly people .

Create your own narrative of the journey. Free time and the ability to stop where and when you want to, and to find the shots and moments that speak to you are built into this tour and itinerary. Experience a luxury photographic road-trip, Africa style. The accommodation experience throughout this tour is often eclectic, but always luxurious and unique.

This cape photo tour is designed to inspire and stimulate your photography, but is also designed as a holiday, with plenty of time to relax and soak up the deep warmth and hospitality of South Africa.

The tour is suitable for all levels of photographers as well as their partners. Provisions are made for non-shooters at all times in the itinerary. Only basic photographic gear is needed, preferably a camera that capable of manual settings as well as a tripod. Gear rental in Cape Town can be facilitated as an extra option.

As your guide and fellow traveler, I aim to expand and excite your love for photography, make sure that your trip is as relaxing and rejuvenating as it is informative and to make lasting memories and friendships.

Your Guide and Photographer

I am a professional photographer and a registered tour-guide. I have shot just about everything under the sun (and moon) – all in a unique reportage style. I love capturing landscapes and moments from my own viewpoint, as they unfold, rather than scenes that need manipulating or styling. I am also a very relaxed and easy going guy, with a beard, love the color yellow best and don’t eat apples. Give me a shout if you would like to chat, I am available for skype consultations should you wish to break the ice before booking the ultimate cape photography tour. Give me a shout at +27(0)715576400 or mail me at alfred@alfredlor.com

Price

6 PAX – Till End September 2019 – ZAR34 000.00 pps

4 PAX – Till End September 2019 – ZAR41 500.00 pps

2 PAX – Till End September 2019 – ZAR65 000.00 pps

Single Supplement: ZAR5 500.00

Duration

8 Nights and 9 Days

Start and End Points

Cape Town

Group Size

3 – 6 Guests (Private Groups)

Experience and Equipment

This tour is suitable for guests with any skill level, from beginner to pro. Provisions are also made for non-photographers throughout the itinerary. A DSLR or Mirrorless Camera & a tripod. Lens and camera rental for most systems is available as an added extra on request.

Schedule and Non-Shooters

The schedule is fairly active but small groups mean that it is fluid and can be adjusted en-route. We really aim to experience the tour as a road-trip, so we stop when we see something we would like to shoot, and adjust our schedule to make each day as memorable as possible. Options for non-photographers (or tired photographers) are built into the itinerary. There is always plenty to do and see if you dont feel like shooting. The tour is designed to be a holiday always.

Accommodation and Transport

Our accommodation is in 4-Star or equivalent Guest Houses. We aim for accommodation that is luxurious, centrally located (so that it is possible to walk around the town we are staying in) and has beautiful views. All road travel is in either a Toyota Quantum, Mercedes Vito or similar vehicle.

All Breakfasts and one lunch is included in the tour package. All other meals are for your own account. We visit the most interesting and top rated restaurants and eateries in each of the towns we stay in.

Departs

All year round. Get in touch for available dates

Day 1 – Cape Town

We shoot the vibrant Bo-Kaap, and some Deep South Coastal Scenes and lunch lazily in Kalk Bay. We then capture the Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach and experience the sun setting into the ocean and twilight on Chapmans-Peak Drive.

Day 2 – Wilderness

We leave the Mother City for The Garden Route. On arrival we explore the vibrant tourist village of Wilderness and it’s beautiful beach and river frontage. We shoot twilight images on the beach, and visit a iconic Garden Route restaurant with live music for dinner.

Day 3 – Wilderness

A day of Garden Route exploration. We experience a local township, visit Plettenberg Bay, walk in the wilds at Robberg and sail through the iconic Knysna Heads on a sunset cruise.

Day 4 – Prince Albert

After a canoe paddle to see a waterfall we leave the ocean behind us and head for the Karoo, and the magical town of Prince Albert. En-route we take a tour of the Cango Caves and experience the most epic photo road-trip ever as we traverse the Swartberg Pass in the perfect afternoon light.

Day 5 – Prince Albert

We immerse ourselves in the Karoo today, shooting many wide open landscapes, explore a labyrinth, take part in a evening ghost walk and shoot some star-trails in the crisp Karoo night sky.

Day 6 – Barrydale

We take a slow drive to Barrydale, stopping regularly to shoot the view, for a drink at Ronnie’s “Sex” Shop and to dip into the healing waters of the Warmwaterberg Spa en-route.

Day 7 – Paternoster

Today we travel west on the famous R62 and through the Cape Winelands. We stop for lunch at a famous Wine Estate near Paarl and then make our way to the west coast village of Paternoster. Here we are greeted by spectacular ocean vista’s and a whitewashed and sun-bleached fishing village.

Day 8 Paternoster

We take it easy on this 2nd to last day. Soaking up the sun and vies, swimming, photo-processing and shooting at our leisure. We enjoy a traditional seafood feast for lunch and catch awesome west-coast style imagery as the sun slips into the Atlantic.

Day 9 – Back to Cape Town

A chilled day with more time for shooting, relaxing and sunbathing. We also visit Columbine Nature Reserve, lunch on the beach in Langebaan and end off our tour by shooting the iconic sunset Table Mountain shot from Bloubergstrand.

After a morning pick up in the City we dive into the color and culture of the Bo-Kaap as we visit the legendary Wale Street and take a quick photo-walk up it’s brightly colored streets. Our route out of the city-bowl and towards the pristine Cape Peninsula takes us over Kloof Nek and then slowly south on the super scenic Victoria Drive towards Hout Bay and beyond to Deep South. We drop or bags and check into our accommodation before enjoying a lazy lunch at one of the beautiful restaurants on the waters edge in Kalk Bay. Once fed and watered, I will show you a couple of amazing photographic locations in the area, including the beach huts at St James and a favorite secret tidal pool that offers amazing landscape shooting opportunities. We then head out to see the penguins at the world famous Boulders Beach in the late afternoon light before heading to Chapmans-Peak Drive. The legendary Chapmans-Peak Drive will be our sunset and twilight stop for the day. After capturing some amazing images here and watching the sun slip into the ocean we head back towards Kalk Bay and our accommodation for the evening, dinner, and a photo processing session for those that want it. Our accommodation for the evening is at Moonglow Guest House or similar.

We start the morning with the 1st of the daily optional sunrise sessions. I will show you some great local places to capture a moody sunrise or long exposure ocean scenes. Those that prefer to sleep a little later are welcome to. We return to our accommodation for breakfast and then check out and hit the road towards Wilderness, in the Garden Route. Our longest drive for the tour is a feature on Day 2, as we head east for approximately 500 kilometers. We break up the drive with a long lazy lunch in the historic town of Swellendam. We arrive in Wilderness in the afternoon and you are free to either relax at the accommodation, explore the quaint town or join me for a stroll and short photo-walk on the pristine beach. In the late afternoon we head out to shoot some amazing sunset and twilight landscapes in the area. We dine at a Wilderness institution, Cocomos – where they have live local music playing most nights. Our accommodation for the evening is at Moontide Guest House or similar.

We start day 3 with an optional sunrise photographic session in a nearby secluded river crossing. Once back at our accommodation we enjoy a breakfast before heading out to Sedgefield, where we meet a local specialist guide who will show us around the local township in the early morning light. Expect to capture some incredible images of this shanty town, it’s structures and people while also learning about the local community. You tour fee includes a gift of stationary for the local children and will be presented to a member of the community during the township tour. We then head out to the coastal holiday town of Plettenberg Bay, where we enjoy lunch either at a beach restaurant or among the vines at a local wine estate. You will have time after lunch to wander around the town shopping district or enjoy an hour on the beach. We then travel to the nearby Robberg Nature Reserve where we take a hour walk through this pristine peninsula, shooting images of the indigenous plants and mesmerizing coastal scenes. We end the day with a bang as we head to Knysna to experience a sunset cruise on a sailing yacht on the Knysna Lagoon and perhaps through the iconic Knysna Heads into the Indian Ocean. We dine at the legendary Tappa’s restaurant on Thesen Island before heading back to our accommodation for the night. Our accommodation for the evening is at Moontide Guest House or similar.

As per usual, there is a sunrise photographic session planned for the early birds, on Day 4 we aim to capture the nearby indigenous forest with lovely soft morning light. After a hearty breakfast we have the option of paddling a canoe up the Touws River and a short hike to a magical waterfall, or taking a drive to Jubilee Creek, where a creek runs through the ancient forest and also leads to a waterfall. We return to town for another lazy lunch before heading north, over the Outeniqua Mountains and into the Karoo. We experience the world famous Cango Caves and an photographic road-trip with perfect late afternoon light over the picturesque Swartberg Pass en-route to Prince Albert where we will be based for the next two nights. We take it easy after checking in, and spend some time processing images or just relaxing before enjoying a traditional dinner at the legendary Karoo Kombuis to end of the day. Our accommodation for the evening is at Prince Albert Country Stay Guest House or similar.

We will head out to the lower slopes of the northern side of The Swartberg to shoot our optional sunrise session on day 5. Once we are back in Prince Albert, and have had our breakfast we will head out through the astoundingly beautiful scenery, stopping often to capture images until we reach a nearby farm, where we will experience a walk through a mystical labyrinth set perfectly within the desert landscape. After the walk, we will enjoy a traditional Karoo lunch on the farm before heading back to Prince Albert. There will be free time to explore the town and it’s many boutiques and art-galleries, or to do a bit of photo processing, or just to relax at the accommodation in the afternoon. We will head out a bit later, and join a local guide on a ghost and/or historical tour through the streets of this iconic Karoo town. The walk will give us opportunity to shoot some moody dusk lit architectural studies. After the walk we will enjoy our dinner in town before heading back to our accommodation. The Karoo sky is exceptionally clear and if weather conditions allow we will have the opportunity to shoot some star-trail images after dinner. Our accommodation for the evening is at Prince Albert Country Stay Guest House or similar.

Road-tripping through the Karoo will be the theme for day 7. After the customary optional sunrise session and a great breakfast we take a scenic drive to De Rust and Oudtshoorn. There we join the famous Route 62 and head toward Barrydale, stopping frequently to enjoy (and capture) the views and visit farm-stalls and the picturesque towns along this popular route. We visit Ronnies “Sex” Shop for a drink and stop for a dip in some nearby natural hot water springs before arriving in the little town of Barrydale and checking into our guest house. We take a late afternoon trip up the Tradouw Pass in the late afternoon for a quick photography session, or if you prefer, just relax at the guest house or explore the town. We enjoy dinner in the Village before retiring for the evening. Our accommodation for the evening is at Karoo Art Hotel or similar.

We again start the day with an optional sunrise session, this time from the hills surrounding the town of Barrydale or on the nearby Tradouw Pass. We return to the accommodation for breakfast and then head out slowly further down the legenedary Route 62, stopping often to sample the view. We then rejoin the N2, and arrive at the famous Babylonstoren Wine Estate near Paarl for lunch. After lunch we head out towards Paternoster on the West Coast. On arriving at Paternoster and checking into our accommodation you will have the option of relaxing for a few hours or taking a stroll through the quaint fishing village with it’s whitewashed cottages and traditional harbor area. We set out to shoot some stunning views, scenery and architectural studies in the late afternoon and into twilight. Once the sun has slipped into the Atlantic, we stroll to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Our accommodation for the evening is at De Linden Boutique Guest House or similar.

Today is all about taking it easy, and soaking up the charm of this amazing town and area. We start with an optional sunrise session, and then enjoy lot’s of free time, for walking, sunbathing or swimming, relaxing or catching up with processing. We enjoy a traditional west coast seafood lunch extravaganza for lunch and then continue to take it easy for the remainder of the day. Being centrally located in this compact village means that you can do as you wish for most of this day, or join me as I offer processing sessions or photo sessions. At sunset we head out to shoot more landscapes of the beautiful fishing village area’s, or up the rural coastal roads. We end the day with our final dinner, at one of the memorable Paternoster restaurants. Our accommodation for the evening is at De Linden Boutique Guest House or similar.

A sunrise session shooting architectural twilight’s, ocean sunrise or whatever you wish is again on the cards for the last morning of this tour. Those that prefer, may take it easy and sleep a little later. After breakfast you will have an hour or two of free time to explore the village further, or take in the sun on the beach. Around mid-morning we head out to Cape Columbine Nature Reserve for a photo-walk in the reserve, at the lighthouse and at Tietiesbaai. We travel back to Paternoster for a long lazy final lunch on the beach before turning south and heading back to Cape Town. We stop at a legendary beach shack in Langebaan en route for coffee, and then at Blouwbergstrand to capture the most iconic image of Table Mountain before arriving in the city for drop off and saying goodbye.